Electrical fixture



May 27, 1924. 1,495,447

E. O. SCHWEITZER ELECTRI CA-L FIXTURE Filed May 5, 1919 3 sheets-sheet 1v E. O. SCHWEITZER ELECTRICAL FIXTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 5 1919Why 27, 1924. 1,495,447

E. O. SCHWEITZER ELECTRICAL FIXTURE Filed May 5, 1919 I5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented May 27, 1924.

F I C E EDMUND O. SCHWEITZER, OI CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL FIXTURE.

Application filed May 5,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND O. SoHwErrzER, a'citizen of the UnitedStates, and i'esident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inElectrical Fixtures, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to electrical fixtures.

It is often desirable to connect a number of electrical devices tov asingle service outlet. F or instance, it is often desirable to operateboth a lamp and a heater or a lamp and a sewing machine motor, or suchunits, in a room where only a single available outlet is provided.Heretofore it has been customary to provide a multiple connecting memberin the form of a plug with a plurality of sockets mounted on the plug.Both the plug members and the socket members are generally provided withthe standard Edison type of connection. While this type of connector hasmet with considerable success, it is not of general application and isunsuited for use in lighting fixtures of the type'which are now invogue, particularly where the artistic or esthetic side is 'predominant.

The aim of my present invention is to provide an improved form ofmultiple connector which is particularly adapted to be embodied inlighting fixtures and the like. This connector comprises a pair ofsockets connected together mechanically by hollow rods or tubes thruwhich are threaded theinsulated conductors for connecting the contactsof the socket. It is possible to work this construction into a greatvariety of pleasing and useful forms. It is also possible to constructan embodiment of the invention largely from standard parts, although anydesign or style of construction may be employed. The sockets are made uplargely from standard parts with special shells joined to the rods ortubes for holding the two sockets together. It is to be understood,however, that any form of socket or connecting art may be employed whichis found desira ble.

In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with a particular mannerof embodying my invention I shall now describe, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, one

1919. Serial No. 294,721.

form of the invention and the manner of use Figure 3 is a side elevationpartly in section showing a table lampembodying my invention;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a plurality ofsockets mounted on the lower ends of the supporting rods;

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the attachment shown in Figures 1 and2;

Figure 6 is a similar view of a modified form of the same; and

Figures 7 and 8 are elevational views of details.

The fixture shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises the shade 1, which may beof any suitable or preferred construction, and which in the presentinstance is of leaded glass type, is provided at its upper edge with acrown or annular binding 2. The shade is suspended from a suitableoverhead support by means of the chain 3, which chain is connected thruan eye 4 with a cap or cover 5, this cap being connected to the shade lby means of the thumb screw 6. The inner ends of the thumb screws 6engage the crown or band 2 to clamp the same firmly to the cap or cover51 The ring 4 has a threaded stem which is hollow and which threads intothe threaded neck 7 of the snap switch socket 8. The cap or cover 5 isthus clamped between the ring 4 and the neck 7 of the switch socket. Theswitch socket 8 is provided with a pendant flexible operating member 9in the form of a chain or other suitable pull member.

It is to be understood that the parts above described may be of standardor previously known construction and design and do not form an essentialpart of my invention, but form a setting in which my invention isparticularly useful and which in connection with my novel constructionforms a new combination.

The switch socket 8 has suitable contacts which may be of standardconstruction which are connected to the conductors 10 thru the medium ofthe switch above referred to in any preferred manner. The contacts ofthe Switch socket 8 are as shown 1n Figure 2 and comprise the centralcontact member 11 and the shell or threaded contact member 12.

The lamp bulb 13 has the usual contact comprising the threaded sleeve 13and the central contact 14. The contacts of the lamp 13 may be broughtinto connection with the contacts 11 and 12 in the usual manner ofmounting the lamp in the fixture previously described.

When it is desired to make connections for operating another lamp orsome other appliance such as a heating appliance, a motor, or the like;the lamp 13 is removed and the multiple connector of my invention isconnected to the socket 8 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. This multipleconnector provides a socket 15 having the contacts 17 and 18 cooperatingwith the lamp contacts 13 and 14. The contact 17 is in the form of asleeve which is internally threaded to redill ceive the threadedcontacts 13. The contact 18 is in the form of a. central contact adaptedto be engaged by the central contact 14 on the lamp bulb. y

The sleeve contact 17 is part of a sheet metal cylinder 19 the. upperend of which is threaded as shown in Figure 2 to form the outer contactmember of a suitable plug portion, which plug portion is adapted tomakecontact with the socket member 8. The plug portion comprises acentral body of insulation 21 bearing a central contact member 22 at itsupper end adapted to engage the central contact 11 of the socket 8] Thecentral contact 18 of the socket member 15 is mounted upon an insulatingmember 23 which may be separate from the insulating member 21 or mayform a part of the same as desired. The central contact members 22 and18 are connected together by a bolt 24 which passes thru the insulatingmembers 21 and 23. This bolt is threaded at its lower end into theinsulating member 18. It will be understood that the ends of the boltsthemselves may serve as a central contact if so desired. The bolt mayalso be reversed without departing from the invention.

ll provide a socket member 25 which is connected in multiple with thesocket member 15 so that connection may be made as by means of asuitable plug 26 to another device such as a lamp, heater, motor. or thelike. The socket 25 is mechanically connected to the socket 15 by meansof two hollow rods or tubes 27, these tubes lying on opposite sides ofthelamp bulb 13 and being of such a configuration that the lamp bulb maybe inserted or withdrawn from the socket member 15. The socket member 15has a shell or casing member 28 to which the upper ends of the hollowrods or tubes 27 are connected. The hollow rods or tubes contain theinsulated conductors 29 which This sleeve of insulaalso formed in linewith an opening 35 in v the side walls of the tubular sheet metal member19.

A threaded metal block 36 is secured on the central bolt 24 and theright hand wire 29 passing thru the openings 31, 33 and 35 is secured tothe block 36 by means of the fastening screw 37.

The left hand wire passing thru the opening32 is secured to the metalcylinder 19 by 1 means of a similar fastening screw 38. which in thiscase is threaded into a flange which is formed about the opening inthismetal sleeve.

The lower ends of the hollow rods 27 are connected to the shell orcasing of the socket 25 as shown at 40 in Figure 1 and the conductors 29pass thru suitable openings in this casing to the contacts ofv thesocket which contacts may be formed in any usual or preferred manner.The plug 26 may be screwed into or out of the socket 25 to make or breakconnection as desired for other light appliances lln the form shown inFigures 1 and 2 the multiple connector of, my invention forms aseparable article of manufacture applicable to any form of lightingfixture of the general character shown in Figure 1 and ithas thispractical advantage that the lamp bulb is moved only a slight distancefrom its original position and remains substantially where it would beplaced without the interposition of this connecting member.

The connector does not disfigure the lighting fixture and provides themultiple socket in the most convenient position for making contact forthe additional appliance.

llt is to be understood that instead of employing a single socket member25, a plurality of the same may be provided as shown in Figure 4. Tuthis case the sockets 42 are mounted upon a common base member 43, whichis connected to the lower ends of the hollow rods 27.

lit is also to be understood that the number of rods connecting theupper socket and the lower socket or sockets, may be increased ordecreased as desired. T have found that two such rods are preferable asthey form a symmetrical unit and independent conductors may be lead thruthese rods, but it is to be understood that this is not essential, butis merely the preferred construction.

In Figure 3 T have shown a table lamp emwhich is mounted in a cap 48 bymeans of the thumb screws 49. The top of the, cap 48 is perforated andthe edges of the perforation are clamped between a collar member 50 anda shouldered connecting member 51 which connecting member threads intothe neck 52 of the upper switch socket member 53. The collar 50 ispreferably provided with a bushing 54 and the conductors 55 enter theswitch sockets 53 thru the bushing 54, collar 50, conductor'51, and arethen connected in any preferred manner to the terminals of the switchsockets 53. The switch socket is mounted upon and supported by thehollow rods 56, these hollow rods containing conductors 57 forconnecting the contacts of the switch socket 53 with the contacts of thesocket in the base, which will be described later. At their lower endsthe hollow rods 56 are secured in a block or base member 58, this basemember being connected by the rod or bolt 59 to the base of the lamp, aswill be described later. The bottom of the block or base member 58 restsupon a flanged plate or cup 60, which flanged plate or cup supports thediffusing globe 61, which diffusing globe is designed to protect the eyeof an observer from the direct rays of the lamp 62. It will be observedthat the fixtures herein described are adapted for high power lamps, butit is to be understood that lamps of any character may be employed. Therod or bolt 59 ex tends up from the base member 45. The head 63 isseated in a recessed washer 64, the edges of which engage the base plate65. Upon the base plate 65 there is mounted a hollow block of insulation66 which is formed in the shape of an inverted cup. This inverted cupshaped member of insulation 66 has a plurality of openings therethrudistributed around its periphery and in these openings are providedmetal ferrules for forming electrical contact with the external threadedcontacts 68 of suitable plug members 69.. The ferrules 67 are internallythreaded to co-operate with the threadsof the shells 68 and theseferrules are connected together in multiple by means of the connectingwire 70 which in turn is connected as shown at 71 with one of the wires57 which lead up to the socket member 52.

The central contacts 72 of the plug member 69 are adapted to engage acentral ring or strap 73 which forms a common contact for all of thesockets in the base member 45. This ring or strap 73 is connected to theother conducting wire 57 as shown at 74.

The inverted cup shaped insulating member 66 is clamped between the baseplate 65 and the post or column 46 which is formed of thin metal in theform of a tapered sleeve 75, having a suitable bead or ornamentation 76at its upper end where it engages the bottom of the. flanged plate 60. Awooden 0st or column might be employed if desire in fact any preferredlength or size of post or column could be used.

The hollow rods 56 are fastened at their lower ends into-the blockmember 58 to form the mechanical connections between the post or columnsection 46 and the socket 52 with its connected shade portion 47. Thewires 57 might be lead in a twisted pair or in any other form from thelower end of the hollow rods 56 to the connecting portions 71 and 74,but Ipreferably provide extensions of the hollow rods 56 whichextensions 76 are joined'at their upper ends by means of shortconnecting sleeves 77 to the lower ends of the hollow rods 56.. Thelower ends of the extensions 76 rest upon the top of the hollow block 66and may be secured thereto in any convenient or preferred manner.

A finishing cover plate 78 is provided for the base section 45, thiscover plate having a collar or hub 79 surrounding the bottom of thecolumn or post 75 and. resting over the edges of the base plate 65. Thisornamental cover plate 78 may be lifted to expose the various multiplesockets to permit insertion and withdrawal of plug members 69. Theornamental cover plate 78 is provided with a series of openings 80 whichmay register with suitable slots 81 cut in the edges of the base platemember 65 to permit the conducting cord of the plug member 69 to passoutwardly. The cover plate is preferably guided on the post 7 5 so thatafter it is lifted it may be dropped back into place properly.

It is to be understood that the multiple contacts formed in the basesection 45 may be formed otherwise in detail, although I prefer theparticular construction shown and described.

The shade section 47 may be of any ornamental or desired type. -Theshade which I have shown is provided at its upper end with a ring orferrule member 83 to which the upper portion'of the shade is cemented orotherwise secured, and this ring or crown member 83 is engaged and heldby the thumb screws 49.

It will be readily apparent that if so desired the shade 61 may beapplied to the device as illustrated in Figure 1, in other words, theshade 61 may be used in conjunction with the shade 1, illustrated inFigure 1, to obtain the indirect lighting effectresulting in thestructure shown in Figure 3. It will also be obvious that the uppershade may be omitted and the lower shade only employed.

In Figure 6 is shown a modified form of the attachment constructed inaccordance with my invention. In this construction I employ a standardplug member '85 and a these parts being connected together by the hollowrods 88 and the T fitting 89 and the cross fitting 90.

The cross fitting 90 comprises a central body member 90 which has ascrew socket 91 at its upper end adapted to be connected to the nipple92, which nipple is connected to the plug member 85. Obviously thenipple might-be formed as an integral part of the upper end of the mainbody member without departing from the invention. At its lower end thebody member of the cross 90 has an extending integral nipple 93 which isthreaded into the upper ring 94 of the standard socket member 86. Thesocket members 86 and 87 may be provided with the usual T switches if sodesired; as this is a matter of choice. The contacts of the socketmembers 86 and 87 are individually connected to the plug member 85 so'that either appliance in connection with the socket 86 or 87 may beindividually disconnected.

The cross member 90 further has the arms 95 and 96 and these arms areprovided with integral nipples 97 to make connection with the rods 88.The hollow rods are fastened on the outside of the nipples 97, althoughit is obvious that the arms 96 may be internally recessed to receive theends of the hollow rods 88. I consider either scheme for connectingthese parts together to be equally feasible and useful in thisconnection. The T member 89 has a threaded nipple 98 which extendsdownwardly and is threaded into the ring 99 of the lower socket member87. The sides of the T are provided with the nipples 100 for makingconnection with the hollow rods 88. As above explained in connectionwith the T member 90, the hollow rods may be secured internally in. thesides of the T member 89 instead of being fastened over the nipples 100.

It will be apparent from the above that the construction shown in Figure6 may be made up very simply and cheaply, as the standard plugs andsockets may be secured in the open market.

The conductors 101 which run to the lower socket member 87 pass thru thehollow rods 88 and may be connected either to the plug 85 directly, orto the contacts of the upper socket 86. In this instance I have shownthe wires 101 running up to the plug member 85. The contacts of thesocket member 86 are in the present case connected to a contact of theplug member 85 by means of the conductors 102.

Preferably the hollow rods 29 and 56 are made of a rather small diameterso that the lighting elements will cause light to shine around the samefrom each side whereby no distinct or sharp shadow will be cast and noappreciable interference with the disbursement of light will be caused.

ll believe that ll am the first to provide sockets of this character inmultiple, which sockets lie one above the other and are connected by arod or rods which pass out around the lamp element which is mounted inthe upper socket member.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown anddescribed.

I claim:

1. In combination, a vertically disposed pair of socket members, havingcontacts adapted to be interchangeably connected to standard or usualconnecting plugs, a hollow rod suspending one of said socket mem bersupon and below the other, said rod being connected at the side of onesocket memher, and a conductor passing thru said rod and connecting thecontacts of said socket members.

2. lln combination, a pair of socket members arranged in substantiallyaxial alignment, said socket members having contacts adapted to beinterchangeably connected to standard or usual connecting plugs, casingsfor said socket members, a pair of hollow rods connected between thecasings of said socket members, said rods being connected at the sidesof the casing of one of said socket members, and conductors passing thrusaid rods and connecting the contacts of said socket members inmultiple.

3. A fixture comprising a vertical socket, a lamp in said socket, asecond socket lying directly below said lamp and being connected inparallel with said first socket, a shade surrounding said lamp and ahollow rodmechanically connecting the said sockets, said rod passingaround the lamp between the lamp and the shade to a point below thelamp, said rod containing conductors for connecting said sockets inparallel.

a. A. fixture comprising a Vertical socket, said socket facingdownwardly, a lamp disposed vertically in said socket, said lampdepending from the socket, a second socket disposed vertically andfacing downwardly lying directly below said lamp, and being connected inparallel with said first socket, a shade surrounding said lamp and ahollow rod mechanically connecting said socket, said rod passing aroundthe lamp between the lamp and shade to said lower socket and containinga conductor for connecting said sockets in parallel.

5. A self-contained and wired attachment comprising a plug member formaking electrical and mechanical connections to the usual outlet socketof an electrical distributing circuit, said plug member facing upwardly,a lower socket facing downwardly, a rod connecting said plug member andsaid socket member mechanically substantially in alignment andcontaining a conductor for connecting said members electrically inparallel, and an intermediate socket connected in parallel electricallywith one of said members and mounted mechanically upon one of saidmembers for supporting a lamp vertically in alignment with said plug andsocket, said rod being adapted to lie near the lam so that it may passbetween the lamp an a surrounding shade.

6. A wired and self-supporting attachment for electric circuitscomprising a socket member at its up er end for supportting a lamp invertica position, a connection for attaching saidsocket to the usualoutlet of a distributing system, an outlet i socket at the lower end forattachment of an appliance circuit, and a hollow rod forming amechanical support between said sockets, said rod being bent out aroundthe lamp for the upper socket, and containing a conductor to connectsaid sockets in parallel, and a shade supported by said attachment, saidshade surrounding the lamp and rod.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 2nd day of May,1919.

EDMUND O. SCHWEITZER.

